Saturday, November 30, 2013

The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center presents a Quiet Music concert on featuring new electronic compositions by Mark Sarich, Greg Farough, Nathan Cook, on Saturday, December 7, at 8 PM. The concert takes place in the Holmes Lounge at Washington University. For more information: www.lemp-arts.org.

The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center presents The Orchestrating Diversity Urban Youth Orchestra in a concert of music by Wagner, Corelli, Debussy, and Tchaikovsky, on Sunday, December 8, at 3 PM. “The Quiet Music series seeks to bring to the St. Louis artistic landscape these most recent investigations into the interface of silence, resonance, barely audible sound, and non-directionality in music.” The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center is at 3301 Lemp Avenue. For more information: www.lemp-arts.org.

Elisabeth von Trapp

McKendree College presents The Sound of Christmas with Elisabeth von Trapp (granddaughter of the legendary Maria and Baron von Trapp) and the Carolian Brass Quintet on Wednesday, December 4, at 7:30 PM. The concert takes place in the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts on the college campus in Lebanon, IL. For more information: thehett.com.

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents the Christmas at the Cathedral with the Archdiocesan Adult Choir, Children’s Choir, Handbell Choir, and Orchestra. The performances take place on Saturday, December 7, at 8 PM and Sunday, December 8, at 2:30 pm at the cathedral at 4431 Lindell. The program features Christmas classics old and new, including Vivaldi's Gloria." For more information: www.cathedralconcerts.org

David Robertson conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Cantatas 1-3 from the Bach Christmas Oratorio on Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, at 8 PM at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. Featured soloists are Dominique Labelle, soprano; Kate Lindsey, mezzo-soprano; Nicholas Phan, tenor; and Stephen Powell, baritone. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio at 90.7 and HD 1. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis Children's Choirs

The St. Louis Symphony presents Holiday Concert 2013 with the St. Louis Children’s Choirs on Sunday, December 8, at 3:00 PM at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Shepley Program of Music and Arts presents an organ recital by William Partridge on Thursday, December 5 at 12:30 PM at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust. Admission is free. For more information: christchurchconcerts.org.

The Shepley Program of Music and Arts presents A Gift to the City, a holiday concert by The Webster University Chamber Orchestra and the Webster University Chamber Singers on Sunday, December 8, at 2 PM at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust. Admission is free. For more information: christchurchconcerts.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents pianist Andrew Throdahl performing music by Bach, Ligeti, and Ravel on Tuesday, December 3, at 7:30 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Tom Sitzler and Philip Touchette
in The Mini Ring

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents The St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra Chamber Music Concert Thursday, December 5, at 7:30 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.Union Avenue Opera presents The Mini Ring, an original adaptation of Wagner’s Ring cycle for children arranged by former UAO Education Coordinator Elise LaBarge, Saturday, December 7, at 1 PM. The performance takes place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. The program begins with an interactive lecture led by Stephanie Ball, followed by a performance of the 45-minute opera. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

Friday, November 29, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

Carol Schmidt

The Garden of Life Spiritual Center presents Celebrate Me Home, a contemporary holiday cabaret concert, on Sunday, December 1, at 1:30 PM. The featured singers are Michele Isam, Connie Fairchild (both formerly with popular St. Louis group Fairchild) and Tim Schall, with Carol Schmidt on piano and Rice Vice on bass. The program includes contemporary holiday favorites from the worlds of jazz, pop, and R&B, as well as instrumental selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. The Garden of Life Spiritual Center is at 9525 Eddie and Park Road in Crestwood, MO. For more information: 636-489-8472.

My take: I know and have worked with just about everybody connected with this show at one time or another. They're great singers and entertainers and the song list looks like fun: Kenny Loggins, Otis Redding, Amy Grant, John Bucchino and even some instrumental Tchaikovsky. Looks like a good way to start the holiday season to me.

Held Over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 through Sunday. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: The play is based on a remarkable true story of a spontaneous truce between Allied and German forces in No Man's Land during Christmas of 1914. In some areas it lasted only one night while elsewhere it lasted until New Year's Day. While it was in effect, soldiers laid down their arms, shared Christmas carols (as well as food and drink), buried each others' dead, and even played soccer. Playwright Peter Rothstein, artistic director of Theater Latté Da where the play was developed, wanted to tell the story in the words of the real soldiers who experienced it. "I created the drama," he relates, "primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast." In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Dennis Corcoran says "this complex piece of musical theatre comes off as a beautifully, simply performed tribute to a poignant moment in the horrors of war."

Thursday, November 28, 2013

So here it is the day before Thanksgiving. The winter holidays are upon us and I find myself asking the Big Question I always ask around this time of year: why do movie producers and theatre producers have such completely different ideas about what their audiences want?

OK, maybe that's not a Big Question most folks ask as the big feast days approach, but as someone who has been appearing in and writing about theatre for decades I can't help musing on the difference between the stage and screen calendars right now. Delivery Man and the second Hunger Games movie opened last week. This week we get Frozen, Black Nativity, Home Front and Oldboy. The week before Christmas we get Inside Llewyn Davis, Saving Mr. Banks, and Walking With Dinosaurs. Christmas week it's 47 Ronin, Grudge Match, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Wolf of Wall Street, and limited releases of August: Osage County and Labor Day.

Clearly, the film folks expect lots of people to show up at movie theaters. And it's not hard to understand why. Most of us are in a festive mood and many of us are taking extra days off work; why not check out a highly advertised movie? I'm retired now, but back when I was an IT manager at AT&T the entire department would practically shut down for most of December. Taking in a weekday matinee is a real treat if you're a working stiff. So is going to an evening show and staying out late.

Sister Act

Theatrical producers, though, avoid the big holiday weeks like the plague. Right now, for example, we have a whopping total of three live theatrical productions running and two of them (Peter Pan at the Florissant Civic Center and Sister Act at the Fox) are road shows. The only local product is Mustard Seed Theatre's much praised musical All is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914. And that's only true because the show was extended past its intended closing date of November 24th due to high ticket demand.

There will be a similar dearth of theatre Christmas week. A dozen shows are opening next week. Eight of them are running for two weeks or more but only one—the Rep's Mousetrap—will still be around after December 22nd. Most producers just don't want their shows to be running on major holiday weeks even when (as is always the case with Thanksgiving and this year with Christmas as well) they wouldn't be asking their actors to work on a holiday.

Why is that? The film and theatre audiences are hardly independent groups. If folks are more willing to see a movie over the holidays wouldn't they be equally willing to see a live show?

I don't have an answer to that question. Could it just be habit? Are theatrical producers just assuming audiences will be light over the holidays? Or could it be that, after years of knowing there won't be any theatre going on, audiences just don't look for it? Could some enterprising company make a killing by opening a show just before Christmas?

If you have thoughts on the subject, share them by leaving a comment. I'll check 'em out right after I get back from seeing the second Thor movie before it leaves town.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

In case you thought music only got political in the 1960s, allow me to disabuse you of that notion. The great composers whose music fills concert halls these days were often very politically active and weren't shy about expressing their politics in their music.

Three of the four composers whose music David Robertson and the St. Louis Symphony will perform this weekend were ardent musical Nationalists, which means they used their compositions to advocate for the cultures of their native countries. Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) and Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) were Czech patriots promoting the artistic and (in the case of Smetana) political independence of their homeland from the Austro-Hungarian Empire while Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was passionate about the legends and landscape of Finland. The fourth composer, Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928- ), isn't generally regarded as a Nationalist per se, but he does draw inspiration from the Finnish countryside and folk tales.

Smetana

Smetana's music often has specific references to Czech legend and lore, so it's only right that he's represented here by two of the six tone poems that make up his epic cycle Má vlast (My Fatherland): Vyšehrad and the massively popular Vltava (more popularly known by its German name, The Moldau).

Vyšehrad, which opens the program, begins with a long introduction depicting the song of the bard Lumir, playing inside the great hall of the castle of Vyšehrad. A more dramatic central section suggests the strife that would characterize Czech history, after which the calmer voice of the bard returns. A few troubled final bars, though, suggest that the calm won't last. When you listen to Vyšehrad, notice how important the harp is as the voice of the bard. In the program book, principal harpist Allegra Lilly notes that the "big, rolled chords which are interspersed with arpeggiated passages" in the introduction help to "create a magical sound, a mystical element appropriate to the piece."

Vltava (which closes the program) is straightforward scene painting, vividly illustrating the course of the river Vltava from placid mountain stream to raging torrent at the St. John rapids (which manifest themselves as big crashing chords towards the end). The bard's theme from Vyšehrad pops up again near the end as well, to provide some artistic unity. When I was young, The Moldau (as it was usually known) was very popular with teachers of "music appreciation" courses (do they still have those?) because it was short (around 12 minutes) and the structure was simple. It's very appealing stuff.

Dvořák

Dvořák's nationalism tends to show itself more in reverence for the Czech countryside, which is very much on display in In Nature's Realm, op. 91. "Dvořák's pure woodwind colors," writes René Spencer Saller in her program notes, "and richly layered strings perfectly evoke the cries of birds, the murmuring of woodland streams, the sighing of wind in the trees." It's musical painting of a high order; some of Dvořák's most profound and touching work was inspired by his love of nature.

Originally the piece was the first of a cycle of three symphonic poems with the omnibus title Nature, Life, and Love. "His intention," writes Denby Richards, the late editor of Musical Opinion magazine, "was to explore every possible facet of nature and life and the effect they have had on the soul of man." These days the three works are usually performed separately under the titles In Nature's Realm, Carnival, and Othello. Which is rather a pity, as there are thematic relationships among them
that make more sense when they're performed as Dvořák originally
intended.

Sibelius

Sibelius is represented by his Violin Concerto in D minor, op. 47. The violin was Jean Sibelius's first musical love. He began playing as a child and showed great promise as a performer, despite an elbow fracture that impeded his bowing technique. Even after it became clear that his real talent was for composition, he continued to play in chamber ensembles and even teach the instrument. It's no surprise, then, that his Violin Concerto—originally presented in 1903 and then again in a substantially revised form in 1905—is both thoroughly idiomatic and incredibly demanding. The long solo passages in the first movement and virtuoso fireworks in the finale will test the mettle of the best performers.

Fortunately, the symphony has one of the best violinists around as soloist this weekend: Joshua Bell. Born in Bloomington Indiana, Mr. Bell, who turns 46 on December 9th, began taking violin lessons at age four. By 14 he was already appearing with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He made his Carnegie Hall appearance at the age of 17 with our own St. Louis Symphony. Today he is very much in demand as a soloist with notable orchestras worldwide. As of 2011, he also became the music director of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the Fields—the first person to hold that post since the orchestra was founded in 1958 by Sir Neville Marriner. He recorded the Sibelius concerto for Sony in 2000, so he should be very comfortable with the piece.

Einojuhani Rautavaara

Like many music lovers, I expect, I discovered the last composer on this weekend's program, Einojuhani Rautavaara, via a recording of his most well known work Cantus Arcticus (1972). Subtitled "Concerto for Birds and Orchestra," this three-movement work uses recordings of birds from near the Arctic Circle to weave a remarkable musical tapestry.

It seems only fitting, then, that the Rautavaara piece we'll hear this weekend—Lintukoto (Isle of Bliss) from 2001— is inspired by a Finnish poem about the mythical isle of Lintukoto, a paradisaical place where birds migrate for the winter and where all the inhabitants are dwarves because the sky is so close to the ground. There's a kind of hallucinatory wildness to the music which should make for an interesting contrast from the Dvořák that precedes it and the Smetana the follows it. Still, all three pieces are fine examples of nature rendered as music, which makes for a nice through line in the second half of the concert.

David Robertson and The St. Louis Symphony, with violinist Joshua Bell, perform Smetana's Vyšehrad, Sibelius's Violin Concerto, Dvořák's In Nature's Realm, Rautavaara's Lintukoto (Isle of Bliss), and Smetana's Vltava at Powell Hall in Grand Center on Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM. The Saturday concert will be broadcast on St. Louis Public Radio, 90.7 FM and HD 1, as well as via the station web site. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Monday, November 25, 2013

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

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Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 through December 1. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Carol Schmidt

The Garden of Life Spiritual Center presents Celebrate Me Home, a contemporary holiday cabaret concert, on Sunday, December 1, at 1:30 PM. The featured singers are Michele Isam, Connie Fairchild (both formerly with popular St. Louis group Fairchild) and Tim Schall, with Carol Schmidt on piano and Rice Vice on bass. The program includes contemporary holiday favorites from the worlds of jazz, pop, and R&B, as well as instrumental selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. The Garden of Life Spiritual Center is at 9525 Eddie and Park Road in Crestwood, MO. For more information: 636-489-8472.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents its Christmas Show through December 31. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents Peter Pan Thursday and Friday at 2 PM, November 29, and 30. Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com.

Sister Act
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Sister Act through December 1. "Sister Act tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a wannabe diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a crime and the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look—a convent! Under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own." The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Violinist Joshua Bell joins The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and conductor David Robertson for the Sibelius violin concerto in a program that also includes music by Smetana, Dvorák, and Einojuhani Rautavaara on Friday and Saturday, November 29 and 30, at 8 PM and Sunday, December 1, at 3 PM at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio at 90.7 and HD 1. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Holly Mead

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Holly Mead, piano, with guest Katie McCarthy, French horn, in concert on Saturday, November 30, at 8 PM. "This program of solo piano will be a mix of many musical genres. Listeners can expect to hear: jazz standards (and a few not-so-standards), both classic and contemporary tangos from the likes of Julian Plaza and Astor Piazzolla, and some of Holly's latest original compositions that blur the lines between new age, classical, jazz, and folk. Guest artist Katie McCarthy (French horn) will join Holly for a piece commemorating the life and passing of a dear friend and fellow musician, Drew Thompson." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Third Baptist Church presents a classical organ concert on Friday, November 22, at 12:30 PM as part of its free Friday Pipes series. Third Baptist Church is at 620 N Grand. For more information: www.third-baptist.org

Friday, November 22, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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Mariposa Artists presents Liz Murphy's cabaret debut The Best is Yet to Come, Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23, at 8 PM. The show is directed by Lina Koutrakos with music direction by Rick Jensen. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/470878

My take: As the PR says, ."Liz shares the incredible opportunities of her life, the people that have influenced her, and her eagerness for self-discovery. This show celebrates the joy of new-found possibilities: the spirit, energy, sparkle, and exuberance of a colorful life. With her musical partner, Rick Jensen, the evening of song will take us from Cy Coleman to Christopher Cross, Stephen Schwartz to Stephen Sondheim, Martina McBride to Julie Gold....just to mention a few." If that's not reason enough, consider that music director Rick Jensen and director Lina Koutrakos are major names in the cabaret world. Besides, Liz gave us a preview of her stuff at The Cabaret Project open mic nigh on Wednesday and if that's any indication, this will be a great show. For more information, check out my interview with Ms. Murphy from earlier this week.

St. Louis University Theatre presents the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum through November 24. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/theatre.

My take: This Sondheim classic never fails to generate plenty of laughs when it's done well. "St. Louis University Theatre," writes Tina Farmer in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "embraces the light-hearted theme of "Comedy Tonight" in a spirited and youthful production that, while decidedly amateur, mostly succeeds in hitting the right note."

Sip Salon presents a staged reading of Robert Patrick's play Kennedy's Children on Friday, November 22, at 7:30 PM as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. Sip Salon is at 7818 Forsyth in Clayton. Seating is limited; call 314-644-0014 for ticket information.

My take: In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I'm acting in this one. That said, Robert Patrick's remarkably literate script perfectly captures the disillusionment and near-apocalyptic disappointment that followed the disintegration of the idealism that fueled the 1960s. This is great material and rarely staged, at least locally.

Ron Himes

Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Athol Fugard's My Children! My Africa! Thursday and Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, November 21-24. Performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543.

My take: Fugard's work is always worth seeing, and we don't get to see Ron Himes on stage as often as we should, due to his responsibilities as artistic director of the Black Rep. Those are a couple of pretty powerful reasons to see this show.

Held Over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through December 1 "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: The play is based on a remarkable true story of a spontaneous truce between Allied and German forces in No Man's Land during Christmas of 1914. In some areas it lasted only one night while elsewhere it lasted until New Year's Day. While it was in effect, soldiers laid down their arms, shared Christmas carols (as well as food and drink), buried each others' dead, and even played soccer. Playwright Peter Rothstein, artistic director of Theater Latté Da where the play was developed, wanted to tell the story in the words of the real soldiers who experienced it. "I created the drama," he relates, "primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast." In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Dennis Corcoran says "this complex piece of musical theatre comes off as a beautifully,
simply performed tribute to a poignant moment in the horrors of war."

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

This Friday and Saturday (November 22 and 23) at 8 PM, Mariposa Artists presents The Best is Yet to Come, the first solo cabaret show by St. Louis singer and actress Liz Murphy, at the Kranzberg Center in Grand Center. The show is directed by cabaret luminary Lina Koutrakos, with music direction by MAC Award-winning singer, songwriter, arranger Rick Jensen. I asked her a few questions about the show and how her life experiences had influenced its development.Q: I think of a cabaret show as a plant that grows from a small seed. What was the seed that started The Best Is Yet to Come? What inspired this show?

A: We have such a wonderful cabaret community here in St. Louis, and my friends actually encouraged me to plan a show. I always thought I could do it but that personal enthusiasm for the project really began when I started making new and healthier life-style choices. I suddenly has the enthusiasm and energy to want to try new things and gained that new "the best is yet to come" attitude!

Lina Koutrakos

Q: How do feel your experience as a middle school teacher has influenced your cabaret and musical theatre work, and vice-versa?

A: My classroom experience has helped immensely. I entertain a captive audience every day! My students are also very curious about the projects I work on and encourage me as well. They even frequently ask me to sing. (...of course that may be to get out of doing work but I appreciate their vote of confidence!)

Q: Your music director Rick Jensen and your director Lina Koutrakos are both New York-based. How did the three of you manage to get together for rehearsals?

A: I was so lucky to be able to work out a plan to have Lina and Rick as my directors! I was able to have time with them here in St. Louis when they were in town doing other shows. I also was fortunate enough to go to NYC last Easter and had a couple of great and very intense sessions with both of them. I also participated in the Chicago Conference in June and had time with them there as well. In addition to that, I had phone meetings and music tracks from Rick so that I could practice my songs with his amazing arrangements.

Q: You've been performing with the Community Gospel Choir in St. Louis for the past seven years. How do you feel that background influences what you do on stage?

A: My gospel choir experience has had a HUGE impact on my stage work. I am a rehearsed singer and rely on the music to "read" my part. In gospel choir I was asked to begin to improvise and do solos where I had to put my music down and "let the spirit move me." It was terrifying! But through the support and encouragement of my fabulous director/vocal coach, Cecelia Stearman, and the members of the amazing choir, I found the ability to take chances and gain confidence. I think that confidence is the key!

Mariposa Artists is an independent cabaret production company founded by St. Louis cabaret singer Robert Breig. For ticket information on Mariposa's The Best is Yet to Come, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/470878

Theatre Lab in coalition with Players Project Theatre Company present The 24 Hour Play Festival. All plays are written in 7 days. The setting, director, and actors are all (literally) drawn from a hat and are given 24 hours to rehearse and memorize for the performance on Saturday, November 23, at 8 PM. The performance takes place at Webster High School, 100 Selma Ave. in Webster Groves. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/469094 or call 314-599-3309.

Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, through December 1. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Mariposa Artists presents Liz Murphy’s cabaret debut The Best is Yet to Come, Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23, at 8 PM. The show is directed by Lina Koutrakos with music direction by Rick Jensen. “Liz shares the incredible opportunities of her life, the people that have influenced her, and her eagerness for self-discovery. This show celebrates the joy of new-found possibilities: the spirit, energy, sparkle, and exuberance of a colorful life. With her musical partner, Rick Jensen, the evening of song will take us from Cy Coleman to Christopher Cross, Stephen Schwartz to Stephen Sondheim, Martina McBride to Julie Gold....just to mention a few.” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/470878.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Freud's Last Session through November 24. “Just weeks before his death, legendary psychoanalyst Dr. Sigmund Freud invites young writer C.S. Lewis to his home for a meeting. Freud wants to understand how a man once known for his fervent atheism could have become one of Christianity's strongest believers. The debate between these two colossal, charismatic thinkers becomes a dissection of love, sex, science and faith - humorous, insightful and intellectually riveting.” Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Randy Dandies, “St. Louis' Premiere Sketch Comedy Burlesque Troupe”, presents the Game of Thongs: A Choose-Your-Own Burlesque Fantasy on Saturday, November 23, at 9 PM. “Winter is coming...and coming...and coming! Instead of bundling up and hibernating, how about joining the Randy Dandies on an adventure in the fantasy world of Westeros as they shed their inhibitions to search for the true king to sit upon the throne of thongs, all the while making magic along the way. Audience members will lead the search unfolding the story as they choose the journey that the Dandies must follow. So many perils and panties await the Dandies! Who will be sexy enough to sit upon the throne of thongs as the one true king (or queen)?” The show takes place at Plush, 3224 Locust Street. For more information, visit therandydandies.com or call 314-535-2686.

Sip Salon presents a staged reading of Robert Patrick's play Kennedy's Children on Friday, November 22, at 7:30 PM as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. Sip Salon is at 7818 Forsyth in Clayton. Seating is limited; call 314-644-0014 for ticket information.

New Jewish Theatre and the Jewish Community Relations Council present a staged reading of Ilan Hatzor's Masked by the Arab-Hebrew Theatre on Tuesday, November 19 at 7:30 PM. “Masked is a powerful and moving play about three Palestinian brothers locked in a life-and-death struggle over issues of deception and betrayal. The play is set in a Palestinian village on the West Bank in 1990 during the first Intifada. The three brothers - a guerilla who has fled to the mountains, a dishwasher who works in Tel Aviv and is suspected of being a spy for the Israelis and the youngest, a butcher in the village - have an explosive hour together each expressing an intensely different personal response to the conflict.” The reading takes place at the St. Louis Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: newjewishtheatre.org.

Ron Himes

Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Athol Fugard's My Children! My Africa! Thursday and Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, November 21-24. Performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543.

St. Charles Community College presents On Golden Pond November 20-24. Performances take place in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents Peter Pan Sunday, Thursday, and Friday at 2 PM, November 24, 29, and 30. Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com.

Whit Reichert and Nathan Bush
Photo: John Lamb

St. Louis Actors' Studio continues its seventh season, themed "Sins of the Father," with Nicky Silver's Pterodactyls through November 24. “Dysfunction takes on new meaning with the Duncan Family. We laugh throughout, as we watch the family disintegrate, and finally realize the seeds of this dysfunction lie within us all.” Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Sister Act November 19 - December 1. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

Family Musical Theater presents A Song For Christmas Thursday and Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, November 21-24, at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan. For more information, visit familymusical.org or call 314-571-9579.

St. Louis Community College at Meramec Theatre Department presents The Two Sisters by St. Louis playwright Dennis Corcoran Wednesday through Sunday, October November 20-24. “Her Majesty's (Women's) Prison, Armagh, Northern Ireland. The height of 'The Troubles' (1970's and 1980's). Two communities at war with one another housed within its centuries-old walls. Can these 'two women', these 'two sisters,' bridge generations of bigotry and hate, find humanity in each other and thereby clear a new path to peace? “ Performances take place in the theatre on the campus at 11333 Big Bend Road. For more information, call 314-984-7500.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Writing in the Larousse Encyclopedia of Music, Donald Paine notes that Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, written for the consecration of Coventry Cathedral in 1962, "may stand as representative of his genius and of the theme that recurs throughout his work: the indictment of human folly as it shows itself both in the tragedy and wastage of war and in the corruption of human innocence."

This massive work for chorus, children’s chorus, and orchestra combines the text of the Latin requiem mass with verses on the horror and pity of war by Wilfred Owen, the English soldier and poet who died in action in 1918. It’s probably one of the most profoundly anti-war pieces ever written. The performances of it at Orchestra Hall in Chicago by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Chorus, Children’s Chorus and soloists this week under the baton of Charles Dutoit fully capture the emotional power and narrative force of this profound (and profoundly sad) music.

Tatiana Pavlovskaya

The first performance of the War Requiem was intended to feature soloists from three nations devastated by the war: English tenor (and Britten’s long-time companion) Peter Pears, German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya (wife of famed celling Mistislav Rostropovich). At the last minute the Soviet government refused to let Vishnevskaya perform, but she did sing the work with Fischer-Dieskau and Pears in the 1963 world premiere recording of the work with the composer himself at the podium.

The current Chicago Symphony concerts repeat the international composition of that first recording with Russian soprano Tatiana Pavlovskaya, English tenor John Mark Ainsley, and German baritone Matthias Goerne. All three are powerful and polished singers. Ms. Pavlovskaya’s "Libera me" was particularly gripping, Mr. Goerne’s "Bugles sang" beautifully captured the tragedy of Owen’s verses, and Mr. Ainsley’s "Anthem for Doomed Youth" ("What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?")—the Owen poem that interrupts the opening "Requiem aeternam"—was devastating in its effect.

John Mark Ainsley

The placement of that poem, by the way, is just one of many inspired decisions on Britten’s part. When the chorus responds with "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison" ("Lord, have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us"), it becomes a plea for forgiveness of the mortal sin of war. Throughout the "War Requiem," the placement of Owen’s poems repeatedly cast the traditional Latin mass in a new light. It becomes, ultimately, a requiem for innocence, decency, virtue, and all the other noble emotions killed by the insanity of war.

The War Requiem is a big piece, calling for a full symphony orchestra with an expanded brass section as well as harp, piano, and a positive (portable) organ to accompany the children’s chorus. It makes big demands on an orchestra, but the Chicago musicians were more than up to the task. The great dramatic moments like the "Dies Irae" were appropriately impressive when we attended Friday night, and the more intimate sections that make up the bulk of the piece came through with crystalline purity. Placing the children’s chorus and positive organ up in the balcony occasionally made the sound balance a bit odd for those of us seated up there, but I think it was a good decision in terms of the overall sonic picture. And besides, the kids sang like angels.

Matthias Goerne

This was my first opportunity to see Mr. Dutoit and work and I have to say I was fascinated. He’s not a conductor given to big gestures, but the ones he uses are clear and focused. His command of the orchestra appears to be precise and total, and he shapes phrases beautifully. He also seems to appreciate the value of silence—especially at the very end of the piece, where he allowed the final "Amen" to fade out and be held by just a bit of quiet before lowering his baton for the applause.

The Symphony Chorus, if this concert was any indication, is a truly impressive organization. Diction was wonderfully clear and their dynamic range was remarkable.

As Phillip Huscher writes in his program notes, "1961, the year Britten devoted to the War Requiem, was marred by the building of the Berlin Wall, an ominous escalation of U. S. action in Vietnam, and the incident of the Bay of Pigs. Owen’s poems, ‘full of the hate of destruction,’ and Britten’s new score, with its call for peace, couldn’t have been more timely." They’re even more timely today, as (to quote an Owen poem used in the piece) "the scribes on all the people shove and bawl allegiance to the state."

In the Permanent Warfare State, presenting a work like the "War Requiem" isn’t just an artistic act, it’s a political one as well. I’m not sure how many of the patrons at Friday’s concert saw it that way or even whether the symphony intended it that way, but it seems inescapable to me. To quote the Owen lines that Britten used as the epigraph for his score: "My subject is War, and the pity of War. The poetry is in the pity…All a poet can do today is warn."

The War Requiem will be repeated Saturday, November 16th, at 8 PM. For more information: cso.org.

The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Dream, featuring works by Bridge, Bunch, Ravel and Bruch, on Wednesday, November 20, at 7:30 PM in the Goldberg Formal Lounge of the Danforth University Center, 1 Brookings Dr. on the Washington University campus. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org

The Kingsbury Ensemble

The Kingsbury Ensemble presents The Art of the Chalumeau on Saturday, November 23, at 7:30 PM. “The Kingsbury Ensemble, Saint Louis's Early Music group on period instruments, is proud to present world renowned clarinetists Eric Hoeprich and Nina Stern in a concert of works for clarinets and strings. They will offer a program of concertos by Telemann, Graupner, Chinzer and Fasch that astound by their virtuosity and inventiveness. A reception will follow the concert.” The performance takes place at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 6800 Washington in University City. For more information: www.kingsburyensemble.com

The St. Louis Classical Guitar Society presents Ana Vidovic in concert on Saturday, November 23, at 8 PM. “Winner of First Prizes in the Fernando Sor Competition in Rome, Italy, and the Francisco Tarrega Competition in Benicasim, Spain. Ana's reputation in Europe led to an invitation to study with Manuel Barrueco at the Peabody Conservatory where she graduated in 2005. Ana has recorded six highly-acclaimed CD's, and been featured in three television documentaries by the eminent Croatian film director Petar Krelja.” The performance takes place at the Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: www.guitarstlouis.net

Nina Ferrigno

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents a Pulitzer Series concert on Tuesday, November 19, at 7:30 PM. David Robertson will conduct percussionist William James and pianist Nina Ferrigno in One by John Cage (from 1987), Workers Union by Louis Andriessen (1975), and Rebounds by Xenakis (1988). The performance takes place at the Pultzer Center for the Arts, 3716 Washington. For more information: stlsymphony.org

The St. Louis Symphony's Young Friends of the Symphony presents Sips and Symphonies on Thursday, November 21, at 7:30 PM. “What is Sips and Symphonies? It is a great way to learn about music in a fun, casual environment. On the third Thursday of each month, we get together at Tavern of Fine Arts to listen to and discuss a piece of music being performed at an upcoming concert at Powell Hall. We will have a different guest moderator each month who will help lead an informal conversation about the music.” A special cocktail is created for each event to accompany the music. The event takes place at The Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra performs Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra and Arvo Part's Cantus in Memoriam of Benjamin Britten on Sunday, November 24, at 3 PM. The performance takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony performs “classical and contemporary woodwind compositions, patriotic marches, show tunes, jazz and more” on Sunday, November 24, at 3:00 PM at the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, 701 College Road on the McKendree University campus in Alton, IL. For more information: thehett.com

The Shepley Program of Music and Arts presents an organ recital by William Partridge on Thursday, November 21 at 12:30 PM at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust. Admission is free. For more information: christchurchconcerts.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents The Amun Woodwind Quintet in concert on Saturday, November 23, at 8 PM. “The Amun Woodwind Quintet performs music by Malcolm Arnold, Charles Lefebvre, Adrein Barthe, Beethoven, and the world premiere of a new work composed by horn player Edmond John Thomas III. “ The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Third Baptist Church presents a classical organ concert on Friday, November 22, at 12:30 PM as part of its free Friday Pipes series. Third Baptist Church is at 620 N Grand. For more information: www.third-baptist.org

Friday, November 15, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

Peabody Opera House presents the Stephen Schwartz musical Godspell Friday through Sunday, November 15-17. “Enjoy all the good gifts of one of the most enduring shows of all time in a brand new and up-to-date, intimate, one-of-a-kind production. Raise your spirit with the Tony®-nominated score filled with the popular hits 'Day By Day,' 'Light of the World,' and 'Turn Back, O Man.'” For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

My take: Judging by the pictures, this Godspell has gotten a slick modern makeover. Schwartz's wonderful score is still no doubt the same, though, and the book presents the essential lessons of Christianity without becoming preachy.

Anthony Dean Griffey as Peter Grimes

David Robertson leads The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and in a concert performance of Benjamin Britten’s opera Peter Grimes on Saturday, November 16, at 8 PM. Vocal soloists include tenor Anthony Dean Griffey as Peter Grimes (a role he has sung often, including at the Metropolitan Opera in New York), soprano Susanna Phillips as schoolmistress Ellen Orford, bass-baritone Alan Held as Captain Balstrode, and contralto Meredith Arwady as Auntie. It’s a preview of the performance they’ll be giving of the work at Carnegie Hall on Britten’s 100th birthday on November 22nd. The performance takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

My take: Inspired by a section of the poem The Borough by clergyman and poet George Crabbe (1754-1832), the story revolves around the persecution of the title character – a sullen and socially awkward fisherman – by the denizens of a small coastal fishing village. In the poem he's a clear villain but in Montagu Slater's libretto it's ambiguous how much of Grimes's tragic end is his fault and how much the result of persecution by villagers. What's not ambiguous is that, even at the relatively young age of 31, Britten was already a master of orchestral color and mood. As noted in my symphony preview post, this is your one and only chance to see this before the symphony takes it to New York next week. St. Louis hasn't had a full production of the work since Opera Theatre staged it back in 1990, so this is a rare chance to see one of Britten's most highly-regarded works for the stage.

Held Over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 24. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: The play is based on a remarkable true story of a spontaneous truce between Allied and German forces in No Man's Land during Christmas of 1914. In some areas it lasted only one night while elsewhere it lasted until New Year's Day. While it was in effect, soldiers laid down their arms, shared Christmas carols (as well as food and drink), buried each others' dead, and even played soccer. Playwright Peter Rothstein, artistic director of Theater Latté Da where the play was developed, wanted to tell the story in the words of the real soldiers who experienced it. "I created the drama," he relates, "primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast." In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Dennis Corcoran says "this complex piece of musical theatre comes off as a beautifully,
simply performed tribute to a poignant moment in the horrors of war."

The Hawthorne Playerspresent Paul Osborn's comedy Morning's at Seven through November 17. The performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.com.

My take: I've always had a soft spot for this funny and touching tale of four aging sisters in a small Midwestern town in 1938 and their eccentric families—even more so since I played the role of the sarcastic David in the Stray Dog Theatre production a few years ago. Originally produced on Broadway by Joshua Logan in 1939 (with a cast that included Dorothy Gish and Jean Adair), the play got a new lease on life after a 1980 Broadway revival sparked productions all over the country, including one locally by Act Inc in 1982. This is family friendly fare in the very best sense of the term.

Writing in the Larousse Encyclopedia of Music, Donald Paine notes that Benjamin Britten's "War Requiem," written for the consecration of Coventry Cathedral in 1962, "may stand as representative of his genius and of the theme that recurs throughout his work: the indictment of human folly as it shows itself both in the tragedy and wastage of war and in the corruption of human innocence."

Those themes are present both in the "War Requiem" and in Britten's 1945 tragic opera "Peter Grimes." Coincidentally, both works are being performed this weekend in the Midwest: the "War Requiem" in a series of concerts in Chicago Thursday through Sunday and "Peter Grimes" in a special concert performance on Saturday night here in St. Louis by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

The Chicago performances are part of the Chicago Symphony's regular subscription series. The Saturday special here is a preview of the "Peter Grimes" the symphony will be presenting in Carnegie Hall in New York on Friday, November 22nd—the 100th anniversary of Britten's birth. It's one of over 1000 special concert events being presented this year to celebrate the great English composer's centenary; you can see a complete list at the Britten 100 web site.

Benjamin Britten
London Records 1968
publicity photo

Born in East Anglia in 1913, Britten studied composition with Frank Bridge and John Ireland. He lived in the USA from 1939 to 1942 and then returned to settle in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, where he would remain the rest of his life. Although he got international attention with his "Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge" for strings in 1937, it wasn't until the 1940s that his music began to achieve widespread acceptance, with performances of his "Ceremony of Carols" (a worldwide favorite around this time of year), the "Sinfonia da Requiem," and, of course, "Peter Grimes"—a huge hit with audiences and critics alike in 1945. By the time Britten died in 1976 he was firmly established as one of the most important figures in 20th century music.

Most classical fans are familiar with the "Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes." These little gems are powerfully evocative of the geographical and psychological landscape of the opera. They're also a nice distillation of what you can expect from the complete performance of the opera on Saturday.

Inspired by a section of the poem "The Borough" by clergyman and poet George Crabbe (1754-1832), the story revolves around the persecution of the title character – a sullen and socially awkward fisherman – by the denizens of a small coastal fishing village. In the poem he's a clear villain but in Montagu Slater's libretto it's ambiguous how much of Grimes's tragic end is his fault and how much the result of persecution by villagers. What's not ambiguous is that, even at the relatively young age of 31, Britten was already a master of orchestral color and mood.

"Britten," writes Paul Schiavo in his program notes, "declared that the struggle between the exceptional individual and society was ‘a subject very close to my heart.' That Peter Grimes portrays that struggle through a decidedly flawed character, less hero than anti-hero, makes it a challenging work but not a less compelling one." It's also possible that Britten intended the work to serve, to some extent, as a condemnation of the homophobia which Britten, as a gay man, saw quite clearly in British society.

The soloists for Saturday's performance include tenor Anthony Dean Griffey as Peter Grimes (a role he has sung often, including at the Metropolitan Opera in New York), soprano Susanna Phillips as schoolmistress Ellen Orford (who suspects—but can't prove—that Grimes might be abusing his young apprentice, John), bass-baritone Alan Held as Captain Balstrode (in whom Ellen confides), and contralto Meredith Arwady as Auntie (who helps stir the mob up against Grimes). David Robertson conducts the orchestra and chorus.

The chorus plays an important narrative role in "Peter Grimes," so precision in singing and diction will be important. Fortunately chorus director Amy Kaiser has an awfully good track record in that regard.

"Peter Grimes" is a big undertaking for the symphony, which does a relatively small number of chorus and orchestra pieces every season and rarely anything on quite this scale. Those chorus and orchestra concerts have, however, generally been season highlights, so I think you'll find it interesting to see and hear the results—and to see what the New York critics have to say on the 22nd.

"Peter Grimes" will be performed on Saturday, November 16, at 8 PM at Powell Hall and will be broadcast on St. Louis Public Radio at 90.7 FM, HD 1, and via streaming at the station's web site. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Long regarded by many as one of the highlights of the French grand opera tradition, Gounod's "Faust"—a beautifully sung production of which opened Winter Opera’s season—actually started life in 1859 as an opéra comique with spoken dialog instead of recitatives and without large ballet sequences. It was only the addition of the former in 1860 and the latter in 1875 that elevated Faust to the position of eminence it held in opera houses for over a century.

But in dealing with weighty subjects the reach of Gounod and his librettists Jules Barbier and Michel Carré mostly exceed their grasp. The music still retains most of its power but the libretto has aged badly and now looks quaint and even dramatically inert at times.

"Satan", the a 1927 lyric by Leo Robin and Clifford Grey tells us, "lies awaitin' and creatin' clouds of gray."* In "Faust" Mephistopheles fills the lives of Faust, Marguerite, and Marguerite's family with clouds that aren't gray so much as the sort of greenish black we Midwesterners have come to associate with tornado season. By the end of Act 5 (Act 3 in this production), there has been enough death, scandal, and misery loosed upon the stage to fill up at least fifteen minutes of a cable news broadcast.

This could be tremendously powerful stuff, but the libretto—based on Carré's play "Faust et Marguerite," which is very freely adapted from Part 1 of Goethe’s "Faust"—deals with it in such a pedestrian way that Faust, for example, comes off as little more than a shallow fool. Tenor Clay Hilley brought a truly wonderful voice to the role, fortunately, garnering his share of "bravos". His acting was not at quite at the level of his voice—his aged Faust was too exaggerated to be credible and his youthful Faust struck me as a bit bland—but there was no gainsaying the quality of his singing.

Soprano Julia Ebner was a very effective Marguerite, with a fine, supple voice and respectable acting chops. Bass Timothy J. Bruno’s Méphistophélès was also a vocal triumph, but I felt he failed to convey the character’s menace. His mocking Act 3 serenade, "Vous qui faites l'endormie," ideally a compelling display of sheer malevolence, felt under-played to me.

One of the strongest overall performances came from baritone Eric McKeever as Marguerite’s brother Valentin. "O sainte médaille," the Act 1 aria in which he entrusts the care of Marguerite to young Siébel (a "pants" role, nicely done by mezzo Cherry Duke) was a true showstopper and got the first "bravo" of the day.

John Stephens’s direction, while serviceable, was sometimes rather static. Ensemble scenes, in particular, tended to consist of having chorus members line up, face front, and sing with very little movement. Part of the problem, of course, was that Scott Loebl’s unit set consisted of a wall with a scrim stage left, a door unit center, and a set of stairs leading down to floor level stage right. The stone wall look was great, but its size tended to push all the action downstage. I would think those stairs could have been used in some of the chorus scenes to relieve the congestion.

He did, on the other hand, come up with a neat solution to the problem posed by the lack of room for dancing in the famous Act 1 (original Act 2) waltz sequence. She brought on a pair of ballroom dancers (Stephanie Medeiros and Atanas Pavlov) to do a flashy waltz number of their own. They apparently beamed in from the 20th century, but it was certainly a theatrically effective moment.

JC Krajicek’s costumes (some of them ill fitting) seemed to have been assembled from several different shows, resulting in an opera that was apparently taking place in no fixed time or place. If that was designed to make the story more universal, I’m not sure it really worked. And that gray brocade suite for Faust made him look more silly than seductive.

Michael Mishra led the orchestra brilliantly, and their playing generally sounded quite polished. The instrumental/vocal balance was very good as well. I didn’t see a chorus master listed, but whoever rehearsed the ensemble did a fine job; the chorus sang with a precision and clarity that was wonderful to hear.

Winter Opera has come a long way in just seven seasons. Now that they’re getting some corporate sponsorship and have apparently settled in at the Viragh Center—one of the best musical theatre houses in town, hands down—I expect them to continue to be a critical part of the local opera scene. If they can get the theatrical aspects of their productions up to the same high level as the musical ones, they will truly be a force to be reckoned with.

Winter Opera’s next show is Verdi’s "Falstaff," one of the Italian master’s very best works, with a first-rate libretto by Boito. Performances are Friday and Sunday, February 7 and 9, 2014. There will also be another special "Holidays on the Hill" show December 10, 12, and 17 at Dominic’s Restaurant. Fore more information: winteroperastl.org.

Enter, Stage Left

Aside from the distinction of being St. Louis’s least-known veteran broadcaster (over three decades and counting), Chuck has been active in theater in St. Louis, Houston, and Terre Haute since the late 1960s. He's been mostly an actor and sound designer, with the occasional foray into directing and (recently) cabaret performance. Chuck has also been writing theater and classical music criticism for nearly as long, and is currently the senior performing arts critic at KDHX-FM, and the producer of the KDHX Arts Calendar. Chuck is a member of the St. Louis Theater Circle and the Music Critics Association of North America, as well as the local correspondent for Cabaret Scenes magazine and a performing arts blogger for OnSTL.com